Changzhou, China

C.R. Lin and his team at CROX designed the new Liyang Museum in the new Changzhou urban district connecting an urban public space to the new nature.

The bold new museum recently won a 2021 Green Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum.

The building’s part is composed of organic lines and undulating mountains to imitate the melodious music in the mountain forest.

Located on the southwest corner of Yan Lake Park, Liyang Museum is positioned with an open attitude to welcome people from all directions.

The perfect combination of terrain tells about landscape culture and creates an oriental poetic life.

The Chinese instrument, Jiaoweiqin, is one of Liyang’s cultural symbols, which served as the origin to build the city temperament.

Architect C.R. Lin created the concept in the background of this story and transformed from historical antiquity into architectural form.

According to a book of the Later Han dynasty: the story of Yong Cai writes—a man was burning paulownias to make dinner. Yong Cai passed by and heard wood cracking in the fire. He immediately understood it was a nice piece of wood and explained it to that man. He took out the wood from the fire and made a musical instrument by using it. People were amazed by the beautiful sound of the instrument. The end of the wood was burned so it was called “Jiaoweiqin.”

From an oriental point of view, architecture is seen as a part of the nature whole which contains both inner and outer space; a space that connects humans, earth and universe.

The team has considered the relationship between melody and nature, human and architecture interaction, delivering a poetic visualization process of culture and life senses.

The design concept contains: KEJING (visualize & scenarize), XUANGE (hang & sing), LIUZHUANG (flow), it helps to creates discussion of what is essential space and what is oriental architecture.

From an oriental point of view, architecture is seen as a part of the nature whole which contains both inner and outer space; a space that connects human, earth and the universe.

The team has considered the relationship between melody and nature, human and architecture interaction, delivering a poetic visualization process of culture and life senses.

Design concept contains: KEJING (visualize & sceneries), XUANGE (hang & sing), LIUZHUANG (flow), it helps to creates discussion of what is essential space and what is oriental architecture.

That floating architecture sits on hills. Hills become the museum’s bottom. Its organic shape blends and extends into surrounding land. It feels natural and welcoming. People can visit architecture causally.

The entrance plaza is located in the southwest, right under the museum’s floating body. The plaza functions as the museum’s main entrance, connecting and bringing visitors to the museum’s central courtyard.

The Central courtyard has its own climate.

The team assumes it will become a popular meeting spot. At night, the water drop-shaped patio sits on the top of the courtyard; acting like an open window to spreading light out into the sky. It sparks, attracting people’s attention.

Architects: CROX
Design Team: C.R. Lin, Darcy Chang, Dr Zheng-Hao Song, Yue Jiang, Saunaam Yip, Tian-Ye Zhou, Jia-Yi Zhu, Li-Dong Sun, and Nicky Ni
Landscape Architects: CROX
City Cultural Consultants and System Service Designers: Shangyuan Academy
LDI: Nanjing Yangtze River Urban Architectural Design
Client: Suwan China Cooperation Demonstration Area Construction
Photographers: Xia Zhi